By Seedy Jobe
Newly elected Gambia Football Federation President Kemo Ceesay has called on his two election rivals to join his administration, saying Saturday’s vote should mark the beginning of unity rather than deepen divisions within Gambian football.
Speaking shortly after his victory at the GFF presidential election at Paradise Suites Hotel on Aug. 29, Mr. Ceesay directly appealed to Sadibou Kamaso and Musa Jammeh, urging them to put the campaign behind them and work with his administration.
“There is no loser in this election,” Mr. Ceesay said, describing the contest as a historic moment for Gambian football.
“I cannot do it alone,” he added. “I want total unification, please. From Monday, anytime we start work, I want to get all of you on board.”
Mr. Ceesay acknowledged the experience and contributions of both opponents. Mr. Kamaso is a longtime football stakeholder who challenged outgoing GFF President Lamin Kabba Bajo in the federation’s 2022 election, while Mr. Jammeh has served on the GFF executive committee and is also a club owner.
The president-elect said the three camps entered the election with different manifestos but shared many of the same ambitions for Gambian football. He urged them to combine their ideas, set aside their political differences and focus on developing the sport.
His appeal extended beyond his two opponents. Mr. Ceesay called for broader reconciliation among football stakeholders after a fiercely contested campaign and thanked Mr. Bajo, the outgoing president, for what he described as 12 years of stability at the federation.
Reflecting on his involvement in football administration since joining the then-Gambia Football Association in 2002, Mr. Ceesay recalled years of turbulent leadership transitions marked by impeachments, interim administrations, and normalization committees.
He credited Mr. Bajo’s tenure with breaking that cycle and bringing greater continuity to the federation, while also acknowledging the government’s role in supporting football during that period.
Mr. Ceesay thanked regional football associations, clubs, and allied organizations that supported his candidacy during what he described as a seven-month campaign. He also praised his campaign team, singling out Bakary Jammeh for leading what he called a well-organized effort.
In a more personal moment, Mr. Ceesay thanked Ousman Chaw Drammeh for his loyalty, saying Mr. Drammeh had arrived at the congress with a resignation letter after pledging to step down if Mr. Ceesay lost the election.
But Mr. Ceesay said the campaign was now over and that his administration would ultimately be judged not by its promises but by its performance.
He pointed to the manifesto his team unveiled on June 20, saying delegates who entrusted his team with the leadership of Gambian football would expect those commitments to be fulfilled.
Mr. Ceesay also stressed the federation’s dependence on international football institutions, saying about 80 percent of its revenue comes from FIFA. He appealed for continued support from FIFA, the Confederation of African Football and the West African Football Union as his administration seeks to advance the game.
“We have a message for the stakeholders of Gambian football,” Mr. Ceesay said, “and that is unification.”
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